Tomlin: ‘A chance’ Hilton, Alualu play for Steelers this week; Roethlisberger not injured
The availability of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for Sunday’s game might be in question but not because of any injury issues with his knees.
During his weekly news conference Tuesday, coach Mike Tomlin said Roethlisberger suffered “some bumps and bruises” during last week’s win at the Dallas Cowboys but his physical preparedness “is not in question” for Sunday’s home game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Roethlisberger, though, can’t practice this week and must remain in isolation as he prepares remotely because he is on the NFL’s reserve/covid-19 list as a “high-risk” contact of tight end Vance McDonald, who tested positive for coronavirus and will not play against the Bengals.
An NFL Network report Monday stated Roethlisberger injured both knees when he was sandwiched between two Dallas defenders after releasing a pass in the waning minutes of the first half Sunday. Roethlisberger stayed in the game and went to the locker room for halftime early after wincing and favoring his left knee.
But although Roethlisberger missed a three-play offensive series, he played the entire second half and led the Steelers to a comeback victory that allowed them to remain undefeated.
The Steelers were without slot cornerback Mike Hilton (shoulder), defensive tackle Tyson Alualu (knee) and fullback Derek Watt (hamstring) against the Cowboys. Tomlin said Tuesday all three “have a chance to play this week.”
“We will monitor them throughout the week in terms of their work and the quality of it,” Tomlin said, “but we’re excited about getting those guys back into the fold if we can.”
Tomlin said “bumps and bruises” will likely keep several players from practicing Wednesday, but that is no indication any will be prevented from playing Sunday.
“There was nothing in-game (vs. the Cowboys) that happened of any major significance or doubt,” Tomlin said of any new injuries.
Here is more of what Tomlin had to say:
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Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.
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